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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed at Prince Harry's memoir title SPARE

595 replies

benisright · 27/10/2022 13:25

I have zero interest in this couple who seem to enjoy making a living on moaning about how they are poorly treated in Britain. Just saw the headline news and the cover of Harry's memoir with his face and one single word SPARE.

Get a life for goodness sake. I'm about his age and never once thought of him as a spare. He kinda invented his own tale.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
heartbroken22 · 30/10/2022 14:58

His life his choice.

Gilmorehill · 30/10/2022 15:34

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 29/10/2022 13:41

I’m actually amazed that people still believe James Hewitt is PH’s dad. Literally the only way they look alike is ginger hair. Which half of Diana’s family have. PH also has the same eyes and nose as King Charles and looks just like Prince Philip when he was younger. I can only assume people who believe he was the product of an affair that happened AFTER his birth are exceptionally, exceptionally dim.

No one could actually believe that. It’s just nastiness.

lightand · 30/10/2022 15:49

Fancy wasting your life in such a way as he is.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 30/10/2022 15:58

ObiTwo · 29/10/2022 11:37

It’s hardly baseless speculation, he’s the spitting image of another bloke who Diana was in a relationship with. Yeah they say Harry had already been born by that time or whatever but they would say that wouldn’t they. Harry has even questioned it himself apparently. He must wonder!

You think that the Royal Family wouldn't have done a paternity test at some point already? It was probably done years and years ago, if not at birth.

mynamesnotMa · 30/10/2022 16:06

Good for him. He needs to use his assetts to make money now rather than me fund him.

HellonHeels · 30/10/2022 16:07

lightand · 30/10/2022 15:49

Fancy wasting your life in such a way as he is.

What do you think he should be doing? He's not the brightest so a professional career wont be a goer.

He seemed to do well in the armed services but wasnt really allowed to be a normal soldier at the front for fear he'd be captured.

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 30/10/2022 16:10

HellonHeels · 30/10/2022 16:07

What do you think he should be doing? He's not the brightest so a professional career wont be a goer.

He seemed to do well in the armed services but wasnt really allowed to be a normal soldier at the front for fear he'd be captured.

There’s absolutely no reason he couldn’t forge a new career. People his age retrain all the time.

Fladdermus · 30/10/2022 16:37

Do people really believe that these two aren't father and son based on looks?

To be annoyed at Prince Harry's memoir title SPARE
Gilmorehill · 30/10/2022 17:03

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 30/10/2022 16:10

There’s absolutely no reason he couldn’t forge a new career. People his age retrain all the time.

Lots of people from the armed forces go into the emergency services. But let’s be honest, there is no career you could train for that would pay for a Montecito mansion.

Bluekerfuffle · 30/10/2022 17:15

Fladdermus · 30/10/2022 16:37

Do people really believe that these two aren't father and son based on looks?

I know, he looks more like Charles than William does. He is hardly the spitting image of James Hewitt, the only similarity is hair colour, which is also shared by Diana’s brother.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 30/10/2022 17:20

Bluekerfuffle · 30/10/2022 17:15

I know, he looks more like Charles than William does. He is hardly the spitting image of James Hewitt, the only similarity is hair colour, which is also shared by Diana’s brother.

One of Diana's ancestors was called The Red Earl for the colour of his hair!

IAmAReader · 30/10/2022 17:22

QueefofSheena · 27/10/2022 13:33

I think it’s quite clever marketing. You’ve no interest OP, yet you have started a thread on it. I’d say it’s doing it job at getting attention.

So true, lol this is definitely going to be a bestseller. Not only his fans will talk about it but the ones who don’t like him too 😂 I’m pre-ordering!

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 30/10/2022 17:27

Gilmorehill · 30/10/2022 17:03

Lots of people from the armed forces go into the emergency services. But let’s be honest, there is no career you could train for that would pay for a Montecito mansion.

Then don’t have a Montecito mansion.

This is my problem with PH. He wants to have his cake and eat it as well. He wants to live in the style he’s become accustomed to. And he also wants to have freedom and privacy. He doesn’t seem to want to accept that he can’t just have both

lightand · 30/10/2022 18:34

HellonHeels · 30/10/2022 16:07

What do you think he should be doing? He's not the brightest so a professional career wont be a goer.

He seemed to do well in the armed services but wasnt really allowed to be a normal soldier at the front for fear he'd be captured.

Someone somewhere would employ him. With all his connections. And whatever.
Ambassador to.. Special envoy of...
A job would even be made up just for him.

But I am more meaning, we all only have one life to live. He could already be half way through his.
Is his life best made use of b,y moaning and the poor me routine?

ReneBumsWombats · 30/10/2022 20:36

Is his life best made use of b,y moaning and the poor me routine?

If it sells well enough to make him a zillionaire, quite possibly. Most of us do it for free.

Owlcation · 30/10/2022 21:09

ReneBumsWombats · 30/10/2022 20:36

Is his life best made use of b,y moaning and the poor me routine?

If it sells well enough to make him a zillionaire, quite possibly. Most of us do it for free.

@lightand You perceive it as “poor me”… and shows you’re not sympathetic. I get it.

But if he has experienced sincere trauma and mental health difficulties, then it’s very dismissive to minimise his experiences as a “poor me routine”. Why don’t you think it’s how he sincerely feels?

Ironically, it may even be the dismissal and minimising of his experience as “poor me” that has pushed him harder to be heard by publishing a memoir.

lightand · 30/10/2022 21:46

He has titled his book, Spare.
Well yes, he is the spare to the throne. Of I dont know how many countries.
But dont try telling me and others that that is such an awful thing to be in life. He has lost prespective.

Owlcation · 30/10/2022 22:06

lightand · 30/10/2022 21:46

He has titled his book, Spare.
Well yes, he is the spare to the throne. Of I dont know how many countries.
But dont try telling me and others that that is such an awful thing to be in life. He has lost prespective.

I agree that being the spare to the throne and having the financial security that most people can only dream of must seem like he has lost perspective.

However… he’s relatable for anyone who feels they’ve been the “Spare” in their family ot witnesssd it happen to other people.

The “spare” idea is not unique to the royal family. That’s also why the title is clever; it’s relevant to Harry (‘An heir and a Spare’) and also to others who are “Spares”.

Ross and Monica in Friends showed this wonderfully - and although that was fiction it was based on something the audience could relate to in real life. Parents have favourites for whatever reason and that makes the less favourites feel ‘lesser’ or ‘spare’. The audience could relate to Monica’s frustrations and sense of unfairness for playing second fiddle to Ross in their parents eyes.

Ihavehadenoughalready · 30/10/2022 22:15

I dunno I kinda like Harry and think the title of the book is apropos.

ReneBumsWombats · 30/10/2022 22:23

lightand · 30/10/2022 21:46

He has titled his book, Spare.
Well yes, he is the spare to the throne. Of I dont know how many countries.
But dont try telling me and others that that is such an awful thing to be in life. He has lost prespective.

He's a Prince of the most famous royal family in the world. Royalty doesn't tend to give perspective.

But all his wealth and privilege hasn't stopped him from experiencing real loss and trauma. Nor any of them.

ohyouknowwhatshername · 31/10/2022 09:01

I wonder what his children will think of all this, when they're old enough to understand? I think he's setting them a terrible example. I wish he'd work through his problems in private and get on with his life. I'm sure he can do a lot of good with his charities and so on, he needs to concentrate on that.

lightand · 31/10/2022 09:12

ohyouknowwhatshername · 31/10/2022 09:01

I wonder what his children will think of all this, when they're old enough to understand? I think he's setting them a terrible example. I wish he'd work through his problems in private and get on with his life. I'm sure he can do a lot of good with his charities and so on, he needs to concentrate on that.

Yes this.

Croque · 31/10/2022 09:38

Since he has had more than one child himself, he has now produced a spare. Therefore, It cannot have been such a bad thing in his eyes .. well, not until he signed the book deal. Lets see how his parenting pans out in that respect. It is the problem with writing these angsty tales of your life. You will create a stick to be beaten with.
As the former golden child myself, I can actually relate to some of Meghan's airs and graces although I would be mortified to still be at it at age 41.

slowquickstep · 31/10/2022 09:47

ohyouknowwhatshername · 31/10/2022 09:01

I wonder what his children will think of all this, when they're old enough to understand? I think he's setting them a terrible example. I wish he'd work through his problems in private and get on with his life. I'm sure he can do a lot of good with his charities and so on, he needs to concentrate on that.

Maybe one day Archie or Lilibet will feel the need to write about how awful, miserable and controlling their parents were.

antelopevalley · 31/10/2022 09:54

Croque · 31/10/2022 09:38

Since he has had more than one child himself, he has now produced a spare. Therefore, It cannot have been such a bad thing in his eyes .. well, not until he signed the book deal. Lets see how his parenting pans out in that respect. It is the problem with writing these angsty tales of your life. You will create a stick to be beaten with.
As the former golden child myself, I can actually relate to some of Meghan's airs and graces although I would be mortified to still be at it at age 41.

This makes zero sense. There is no "spare" in any families where someone is not going to be queen or king
Harry and Meghan have had 2 children like millions of families.